Look for absentee ballot request forms for upcoming election in Sunday’s newspapers

The Ohio Secretary of State has directed the 88 county boards of elections on the precautions needed to take to prevent the spread of flu and viruses, including the coronavirus. Voting equipment will be regularly wiped with disinfecting cloths and hand sanitizer bottles will be available during in-office early voting and Election Day voting. Voters can also request absentee ballots to be mailed to their home. NICK GRAHAM/FILE

The Ohio Secretary of State has directed the 88 county boards of elections on the precautions needed to take to prevent the spread of flu and viruses, including the coronavirus. Voting equipment will be regularly wiped with disinfecting cloths and hand sanitizer bottles will be available during in-office early voting and Election Day voting. Voters can also request absentee ballots to be mailed to their home. NICK GRAHAM/FILE

Voters wanting to cast an absentee ballot by mail in the March 19 primary election can get an absentee ballot request form in the Sunday, Feb. 18, edition of the Dayton Daily News, Springfield News-Sun and Journal-News.

The newspapers will print an absentee ballot request form in the paper that registered voters can cut out, fill in and mail to their county board of elections to request a ballot be mailed to them. Our newspapers have done this for several years as a service to readers.

Local election boards will mail out ballots after the Feb. 20 deadline to register to vote in the primary. Early voting starts Feb. 21. Voted ballots can be dropped off in person at your board of elections or mailed.

Ohio election law requires anyone voting in-person, whether on Election Day or early at their local board of election, to have valid photo ID. Photo ID is not required for voting absentee.

Elections officials urge voters wanting to vote by mail to submit requests for ballots as soon as possible to allow time for the request to get to the elections board, the ballot to get to the voter and the voted ballot to get back to the elections board.

Ohio law doesn’t allow voters to request absentee ballots online. But you can download and print out an absentee ballot request form at www.voteohio.gov. You can also call your local elections board to request one be mailed to you. Here is a list of phone numbers for Ohio elections boards.

Early in-person voting at local elections offices starts Wednesday, Feb. 21, and runs through March 17. See specified times for each week of early voting here.

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